Balto: Faith of the Wolf Book3: Isle of the Wolves
by Mojotheomegawolf
Summary: Balto's team has finally arrived on the island and all should turn out well. But apparently someone has other plans for Dingo. CHAPTERS ARE BEING REPLACED FOR REVISING AND EDITING.
1. Chapter 1

Book 3

Isle of the Wolves

Chapter 1

The group had been plodding across the ice bridge for nearly an hour, each canine beginning to feel an immense fatigue from running and maneuvering across the ever shifting flows. The sled was a major pain in the ass to try and keep upon the ice, said sled nearly dumping over quite often. the dogs had to unharness and walk on each side of the sled to stabilize it. After all this time they still could not see the island they sought, just an endless stretch of sea and ice that spanned far beyond the range of their range of eye sight. Balto leapt from flow to flow, informing the ones on the sled of any dangers and how to move the sled to the next flow. Balto bounded across a short stretch of water, landing gracefully on the other side. the group followed with the sled in tow making their way across the narrow strip of ice. Kodiak sadly miscalculated the placement of his paws and he stumbled, bumping into Dingo from the side and the former went toppling into the water, yelping before splashdown. Balto stopped and turned around, the others leaping over top of Kodiak's head as he bobbed up and down in the water, the sled following. The sled secured on the other side, Klatto turned to Kodiak, biting his tongue to refrain from laughing at him.

"Dumb ass," Klatto teased, causing Kodiak to grin sheepishly.

Klatto chuckled and dipped his head down over the edge, Kodiak dipping his muzzle down and exposing the back of his neck. Klatto gripped Kodiak by the scruff with his teeth and began to pull him out, Balto appearing at the scene and also seizing a piece of his son. Together they hefted Kodiak from the icy waters, Kodiak clambering up onto the ice. Once there he stood up and shook his copper pelt then sat down in exhaustion, his entire body shaking from the cold.

"You need to be more careful," Balto informed, receiving an embarrassed, "yeah," from his son.

"Alright guys, gather round," Balto called, "Slippy needs to get warm."

Kodiak smiled weakly as the dogs and wolves huddled close around his cold, wet body, glad for the heat that he was shivered a few minutes more, then calmed as his body slowly began to reheat and thirty minutes later it was decided that he was once again fit for travel.

* * *

><p>- The island no longer had balance; it was only bands of wolves running a muck in unmarked territories and unclaimed lands because now there was no point in staking such claims. Every living thing was dead besides them, so there wasn't any sense in fighting for empty land. Here though it seemed that the wolves were making a pretty fair existence, probably because, though it was unpleasant, they could tolerate eating slightly rotted meat.<p>

Balto and his group encountered at least four of these packs of rouges, but passed through without any real trouble. Unbeknownst to the others, Aniu had cast a spell upon each of the wolves that they encountered, making the group invisible, both by sight and scent, so that they could pass through unharmed. The wolves would simply pause, their instincts telling them of a presence and stare blankly at where they walked as they paraded passed by, but would brush it off as a senseless paranoia and continue on their way.

After a forty minute walk, and navigating through a rock strewn valley, the group came upon a pack of about a dozen wolves led by a female that Balto knew well. The group of lupine seemed to be enjoying the day, the wolves just lazing about the area, trying to forget about the state of their home for a while. The wind was blowing at Balto's group's backs and carried their scents into the nostrils of the twelve wolves, the female wolf picking up on it first. Balto slid free from his harnesses and took a step toward his daughter.

The female leader turned and bristled at him, baring her teeth and snarling menacingly. Balto froze.

_'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.'_

The female finished her preliminaries and charged, in jumping up and landing on the surprised Balto's back. Balto's group rose into an uproar, growling and freeing themselves from their restraints. However, the wolves stood at a distance, giving them the 'don't move or we will kill you' look, causing the dogs to settle. Instead they went to encouraging Balto. Balto threw the female off and she landed effortlessly on her feet, turning back to face him as if nothing had happened. He wasted no time and flew in, using his forepaws to roll her. He followed her on her way and stood over top of her when she came to rest, his forelegs spread apart just past each of her shoulders. She had expected this, and in a flash she swept her legs under Balto's and he was taken over and down onto his back. The female pinned him by his shoulders and stood dominantly over him, her nose pressed down nearly touching his. It wasn't so much as weight, but pure strength that this she-wolf possessed, making Balto helplessly pinned no matter how hard he fought. The female wolf growled menacingly, baring her glistening fangs. Balto closed his eyes and then ceased, the hybrid chancing a glance up at his assailant. The she-wolf's face had changed completely, a proud smile now dominating her features. She looked down at her frightened enemy and erupted into laughter.

"You're out of shape, Papa," she said proudly.

Balto smiled and Alue let him up. The two embraced each other and Balto's agitated group settled. Father and daughter separated and Balto looked over his child with a proud smile. She was a lot more mature now, her shoulders broadening and her body being overrun by lean muscle.. Though she was mature in appearance, Balto could see that she was still the same bright eyed pup that he had always known.

Balto turned to his group, Alue doing the same.

"This is Alue, my daughter," he stated to the group.

Kodiak and Dingo padded over to their sister, pausing a short distance away from her and studying her for a moment.

"You look great," Kodiak began finally, "I mean look at you, you're all grown up, and if I might say so, you look beautiful."

Alue blushed under her fur.

"You always worried about not catching up with your older brother, but look," she pointed out, "you're broader than him and you can look him in the face," Alue said to Kodiak.

Dingo looked smugly over at his little brother.

"Yah but I can still put him on his back."

"You can try," Kodiak replied, crouching down in acceptance to Dingo's challenge.

"Okay guys. I'm not gonna have to start breaking up fights again am I?"

The two took their attention away from each other and back at Alue. The three shared in a laugh then the two brothers took turns embracing their sister. They separated when the first dog approached, Alue and her brothers turning their attention to her.

"I'm Ali," said the red female then bowed her head.

"Lartia," came a scratchy voice from the left end of the line of canines behind the one she now knew as Ali.

"Comet," said the black and white malamute next to Lartia.

"Kali," stated a grey female with white socks that stood beside Comet.

"Dusty."

"Kirby."

"Ralph."

"Xodiak."

"Klatto," stated the grey wolf that was next to last on the right end of the line.

"Aniu."

Alue knew the name from her adventure with her father, the knowledge of having the famed white wolf in her presence shocking her. She stared in a star struck awe then embraced her long lost grandmother, the both of them wrapping their head around the other's neck. After a while they separated.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," Alue began with a happy tone and swish of her tail, "as I'm sure you may know, I'm Alue."

There was a nod from the group and she continued.

"This is my mate Makhijani," Alue said referring to the muscular tan wolf that sat at her side.

Makhijani bowed his head.

Three pups sat between the two mates.

"This is Bear, Shep, and completely coincidentally, our only daughter is named Kali as well," Alue said pointing to each with her paw as they were named, laughing at the fact that there would be two Kalis around.

Balto nuzzled his grandchildren and listened as the other seven members of the pack were introduced. Once finished there was a long silence.

"So, you all hungry," Balto asked to the pack and to his team, breaking the awkward silence.

They all nodded 'yes' to him and lined up to receive their meals. The wolves mimicked the dogs' behaviors with confusion; they had never had a line for food before. They were used to simply digging into their meal. Nonetheless the food was passed out evenly amongst the group and they all ate without speaking. After they finished Alue led them a quarter mile to a frozen river that they kept broken up for drinking. The eighteen canines lapped the cold water then settled around Balto and the two alphas. It was decision time.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright! I am back in business with this story. I will be going back over what I have already written in an attempt to make it better and change a few things around here and there. I would like to thank those of you who have stuck with me. (All other chapters have been removed for editing and revising.)<br>**


	2. Chapter 2 EDITED

Chapter 2

_Dingo was out on a rocky outcrop that overlooked the empty, frozen plains that rolled infinitely below him. The area was unnaturally dead; completely flat with no vegetation to speak of and very vague colors of grey in the sky. Even the light cast off by the sun above was a dull and viscid yellow. _

_Dingo didn't have time to ponder where he was because just as soon as the thought entered his mind there came a heavy gust of wind from seemingly out of nowhere and quite suddenly a bank of dark grey clouds rolled ominously over the land, quickly blocking out the ghostly sun. The already dim day became dark as night and a booming voice called to him from across the plains. Dingo was afraid._

"_Wh… Who's there," he demanded looking around him frantically, but he couldn't see a thing.  
><em>

_Just as quickly as it came the wind calmed and the world around him became silent yet again. To Dingo's left a swirl of leaves rose up from the ground revealing an old grey wolf that held a similar poise to that of which Aniu possessed. Dingo locked up. His mind begged him to flee, but his paws refused to move. The mysterious wolf sensed Dingo's fear and spoke _

"_You mustn't be afraid young Dingo," the wolf began in his echoing voice._

_Dingo's eyes widened.  
><em>

"_H… how do you know my name," Dingo asked in an astounded tone._

"_We have been keeping an eye on you since the day you were born, young one," the mysterious wolf explained, "You have always had our protection."_

_Dingo said nothing, his face going from frightened to skeptical. The old wolf saw this and shook his head, placing a paw on Dingo's forehead. Dingo didn't have time to make a protest as a brilliant blue light cascaded from the wolf's paw and surrounded their bodies. there was a flash and Dingo found himself staring out at a young copper colored pup playing alone by a small frozen lake. Dingo was about to question the wolf when a sudden realization hit._

_ "Wait! That's me!" Dingo exclaimed in total disbelief._

_The wolf simply nodded, his eyes never leaving the young pup._

_Dingo watched as the young pup scared up a rabbit from a shrub and began to chase it, yapping away and having a great time._

_"And just what were you doing out here all by yourself?" the wolf asked Dingo wisely._

_Dingo simply shrugged, unable to come up with a good explanation. _

_"I don't know. I just got bored and ran off," he admitted._

_The wolf nodded and continued to watch as the scene unfolded._

_The copper pup slipped as the rabbit made a cut and took off toward the frozen lake. The pup righted himself and took off after it, unaware of the dilemma that he was about to find himself in. Dingo remembered this scene and yelled out to the pup, stepping toward him._

_ "He can't hear or see us," the wolf explained, "this is merely an observation of the past."_

_Dingo nodded and sat, watching helplessly as the pup continued aimlessly toward the lake. _

_The rabbit took off across the ice with the pup close behind and steadily gaining. _

_Quite suddenly there was a loud series of cracks and the pup skidded to a halt, the rabbit bolting safely to the other side. The pup looked frantically around himself and then took off back toward where he came from. The pup took three bounds and fell through the ice with a yelp of surprise, the chunks of the ice quickly closing off the way out. Though they couldn't see it, they knew that the pup was in serious trouble, desperately fighting to get through and to the surface. Dingo's eyes never blinked and he subconsciously held his breath as he watched himself drown.  
><em>

_From out of thin air a grey backed, white bellied husky appeared on the ice, just on the rim of the hole. Dingo wondered now how the dog didn't fall through, but quickly figured it out. He turned to the wolf._

_"Yes, Dingo. I sent him to rescue you," he explained.  
><em>

_Dingo was blown away. He didn't know what to think._

_"How did you do all this?" Dingo demanded, "Who are you?"  
><em>

"_Patience," the wolf responded, raising a paw, "You will find out in time."_

_This wasn't enough for Dingo and he became angry._

_"What is going on here? Why are you doing this? Tell me!"  
><em>

_The wolf simply closed his eyes, bowed his head, and then disappeared into thin air, this action shooting Dingo back to where he had started. Dingo looked around him and then shouted a foul series of words up into the clouds._

_"The time is nearing, young one," Dingo heard the voice roll across the land and then as quickly as they came, the dark clouds parted and the dim sun showed itself yet again.  
><em>

"Dingo, Dingo wake up."

Dingo shot his eyes open and blinked them slowly, focusing them and finding Alue sitting before him. It was still dark out and all of the others were still asleep.

"What are you doing up, Sis," Dingo whispered, raising his head and rolling onto his chest.

"I always watch over my pack at night," Alue answered.

Dingo nodded his understanding then cocked his head to the side.

"So did you get lonely or something?" he asked with a chuckle.

Alue also cocked her head, then answered as she realized what her brother was getting at.

"No," she answered with a chuckle, "I noticed that you were squirming around and mumbling in your sleep so I came over to investigate."

"Oh," Dingo said sheepishly.

"Are you alright?" Alue asked, her worry evident through her tone.

"Ya, I'm fine," Dingo began letting out a tired breath, "Just had a crazy dream."

"You wanna talk about it?" Alue asked sincerely.

He wanted to tell his sister, but he knew she wouldn't understand. After all, this wasn't the first time he'd had a dream of this nature.

"Nah, it was just a dream," Dingo said with a smile and rose to his feet.

"You look tired, Sis. Why don't you get some sleep and I'll keep an eye on things." he offered.

Alue gave her brother a soft smile and rose to her feet as well.

"It is my duty as alpha to watch over the pack, go on back to sleep.

Dingo gave her a brotherly shove.

"Ah, now that I'm awake, I won't be getting back to sleep anyway," he replied with a chuckle.

Alue gave up. Her brother had always been the most stubborn of all the brood, even more so than her. She gave him a smile and loped down into her den, the light of the moon reflecting off of her silver fur as she went. After a few seconds Dingo saw her disappear into her den then ran his eyes over the sleeping pack and finally looked up to the moon that hung full and bright above him.

"What do you want from me?"

* * *

><p><strong>Here it is! The edited version of chapter two! Chapter one has been edited as well in case y'all didn't know. (Probably not because it didn't send out an informatory email.) (Stupid internet.) <strong>


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